RadComms 2014:
Innovations in Spectrum Management
Lynne Fancy
Senior Director
Spectrum Development and Operations
Industry Canada
September 2014
Our Conundrum
 Everybody wants more spectrum
Forecast of Mobile Data
Growth in Canada
 Unmitigated demand for wireless
capacity is a reality and its growth is
exponential.
 However, there is no corresponding
exponential growth in the availability
of spectrum
Source: Spectrum Outlook, 2013
 Everybody wants it faster
 Most spectrum is encumbered
A shared issue between regulators and industry
1
Our Framework
 Our Objective: Maximize the economic
and social benefits that Canadians
derive from the use of the radio
frequency spectrum
 Our Commitment: To apply real-world
proven spectrum management practices
so that we are prepared for an
increasingly connected 5G world
2
How We’re Managing
 Allocation of new spectrum
 Focused research efforts
 Policies to encourage efficient use
of spectrum
3
Allocation of New Spectrum
 Committed to allocating 750 MHz of spectrum to
commercial mobile services by the end of 2017, with
the expectation that at least 1000 MHz will be
required by 2020.
4
Allocation of New Spectrum
Using different approaches to suit different needs
 Auction formats
 AWS: Simultaneous multiple round ascending auction
 700 MHz: Combinatorial clock auction
 AWS-3 (currently under consultation): Second price sealed
bid
 Deployment conditions, e.g., for rural deployment
 Measures to encourage competition
 Set asides
 Auction caps
5
Focused Research Efforts
 Need to find innovative answers for the future
 Industry Canada is one of the few spectrum
regulators with an in-house communications
research centre focused on wireless
 Three “grand challenges”:
 Understanding how spectrum is used
 Enabling smarter and more innovative means to access
existing spectrum resources
 Expanding our wireless capacity
6
Focused Research Efforts
Spectrum Awareness - Understand how spectrum is
used
 Provide real-time spectrum utilization knowledge and
applications to enable more effective use of spectrum
 What spectrum is being used, by whom and how
effectively
 Facilitate dynamic spectrum use by multiple parties
in the same band
7
Focused Research Efforts
Spectrum Access - Enabling smarter and more
innovative means to access existing spectrum
resources
 Existing licensing mechanisms are based on static
rights over a long term, supporting investments
 Need to balance with the need to stimulate innovative
and flexible use of spectrum
 Find technical solutions
 Spectrum and network sharing
 Dynamic spectrum access
8
Focused Research Efforts
Breaking the Frequency Barrier – Expanding our
Wireless Capability
 Advance the use of higher frequency bands through
research to address the growing demand for mobile
services
 Specifically looking at spectrum over 6 GHz
 Will require public and private cooperation to
succeed
9
Policies to encourage efficient use of
spectrum
 Collaborative solutions
 Network sharing agreements
 Mandated solutions
 Tower sharing and roaming
 “Use it or lose it”
 Fees
 Need to align fees with our objectives
10
Summary: How We’re Managing
 Allocation of new spectrum
 Innovative and focused research
efforts
 Policies to encourage efficient use
of spectrum
11
12